Moms of the region take on fame, politics and the world this Mother’s Day

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Image 1 of 10: She was rumored to be pregnant in November last year and then confirmed it in January. But this mother of three won’t be getting congratulations from most of Syria. Asma Assad, wife of Bashar, might just be the most hated mom in the region.

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Image 1 of 10: Doing it for the grandmothers everywhere, Ghada Abdel Raziq tried to prove that becoming a granny didn’t mean giving up her looks. This sexy Egyptian GILF is still strutting her stuff on screen and is rumored to have run off with a man half her age.

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Image 1 of 10: The only woman to take on Ghada for the title of ‘sexiest granny’ in the region, Lebanese megastar, Haifa Wehbe, has shown no signs of slowing down. A self-proclaimed fashion force and international hitmaker, this gran hasn’t let motherhood get in the way of her career.

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Image 1 of 10: Maybe the region’s most determined moms, these mothers of Palestinian hunger strikers rally on despite the fact that their sons face indefinite jail terms in Israeli prisons. With one hand holding on to a family portrait and another making the ‘V for victory’ sign, they continue to fight.

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Image 1 of 10: She might be the wife of a president but this lady prefers to go by her family name and isn’t afraid to say it loud and proud. She captured the region’s hearts when she asked to be called “Umm Ahmed” after her first son rather than ‘Mrs. Mohamed Morsi’, as you might know her.

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Image 1 of 10: The brave women refugees of Syria face terrible odds getting themselves and their families out of the country. But despite the horrors, that maternal instinct lives on even when they have to give birth in one of the many regional refugee camps.

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Image 1 of 10: The Saudi government finally made a breakthrough in their all-male environment this year, appointing 30 women - many of them mothers - to positions on the Shura council. These highly qualified moms are hoping to represent for the 50% of the Saudi population so often ignored.

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Image 1 of 10: Another member of the Assad family, this mother is not exactly going to win ‘mother of the year’ with her behavior. While her son Bashar sits it out in war-torn Syria, Anisa Makhlouf jumped ship earlier this year for a life of comparative luxury in Dubai.

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Image 1 of 10: While their government is busy stirring up trouble across the region, the moms of Iran are the ones left to face the consequences of the nation’s pariah status. Writing an open letter to the UN, ‘Iranian Mothers For Peace’, brought the point home to the international community.

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Image 1 of 10: Having lost her three sons to the Palestinian resistance, mother and Gazan MP, Mariam Farhat, was much-loved by her countrymen. Named the ‘Khansa of Palestine’ after the 7th century poet, her funeral three days ago was attended by thousands.